Find out if you could be a foster carer
In a few simple questions, you’ll know if you’re suitable to apply to become a foster carer.
Foster children need homes where they can thrive. Can you help by fostering in Bolton? We can offer placements that would suit people who are new to fostering and also experienced foster carers. We offer 24/7 support, peer support, regular activities and free training.
If you’re considering becoming a foster parent, choose a fostering agency with local teams who will be with you every step.
National Fostering Group is the largest independent fostering agency in the UK with superb agency coverage across all regions – meaning you have the support of a team close to you.
One of the most established fostering agencies in Bolton, we work with local authorities to place children and young people in homes where they can thrive.
As a foster carer with us, you’ll have unparalleled access to professional support and excellent free training in and around Bolton. We want you to thrive too, being the best you can be in your role as foster carer.
On top of this, carers who are fostering in Bolton have a large and active peer network that includes more than a dozen local support groups.
Fostering Solutions North West is one of our larger agencies that has been supporting foster carers in Bolton for more than 20 years. Many foster carers have been with us for more than 15 years. We have an open and inclusive culture and an experienced team, based in Bolton, who make themselves accessible to our carers and their families
Our average foster carer pay is around £24,500 a year (£2,040 on average per month), which is far higher than the government’s recommended weekly allowance. For most foster carers in Bolton, this will be tax free! Some types of fostering placement pay more than £35,000 a year. Foster carer pay doesn’t affect state benefits you’re currently receiving.
Since we started fostering we’ve never looked back. It has given me a new lease of life and made me feel a lot younger.
If you think you’d like to become a foster carer in Bolton, your next step is to have a chat. You can book a call by using our enquiry form. After this, if you decide to go ahead with an application, this usually takes around 16 weeks and we’ll help you every step of the way. We’ll help you decide what types of fostering you want to do and we’ll even get you started with foster carer training.
We are looking for foster carers in Bolton and the surrounding area, including Horwich, Little Hulton, Ainsworth and Farnworth. We welcome people from ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, physical abilities and the LGBT+ community. You can be single, married, a homeowner or a tenant. Your ability to care for and nurture a child is what really matters. If you’ve worked in sectors like education, the emergency services, care or healthcare, you’ll be especially suited to this role.
Dozens of children and young people are awaiting foster parents in Bolton. The figure for the whole of the North West is in the hundreds. National Fostering Group has local offices across Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside and Manchester. This includes Blackpool, St Helens, Liverpool, Chorley, Barrow in Furness, Preston, Oldham, Warrington (HQ), Bolton and Burnley.
When I first met with Steven, he didn’t think he could foster due to his colourful past. However, we established that often teens can relate to those that have done similar things and come out the other side - they could become a role model for troubled young people to assist them along the right path.
I have seen Steven's confidence grow as he realised this is the case and the training he has received has boosted his abilities too.
Our foster carers come from all walks of life. With training, support and a generous fostering allowance, they provide homes where children can thrive and experience the childhood they deserve.
More than 9,000 new foster carers are needed UK-wide to provide homes for children in need of a foster family. If you’re thinking of becoming a foster carer, now’s the time.
Source: The Fostering Network
Around 9,190 children live with a foster family in the North West. There are approximately 45,370 fostering households and 76,640 foster carers in England.
Sources: Department for Education, Ofsted
